Menu
For immediate release
Jan. 24, 2025
Contact: Denise Kahler, director, Communications and Recognition Programs, denise.kahler@ksde.gov, (785) 296-4876
TOPEKA — The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has announced the recipients of the 2025 Kansas Horizon Award, a program recognizing the outstanding teaching skills of new educators.
The 32 educators chosen for this prestigious award will be honored at a special ceremony during the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network (KEEN) State Education Conference on Feb. 21, in Topeka.
The Kansas Horizon Award program, sponsored by KSDE, allows all school districts in the state to nominate one elementary and one secondary teacher for the award. To be eligible, teachers must have successfully completed their first year of teaching and have performed in such a way as to distinguish themselves as outstanding.
Four elementary and four secondary classroom teachers may be selected for the award from each of the state’s four regions that correspond to the state’s U.S. congressional districts.
Recipients of the 2025 Kansas Horizon Award were notified of their selection by Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson.
The 2025 Kansas Horizon Award recipients are as follows:
Region 1
Dalton Kraus, Victoria Elementary School, Victoria USD 432
Emma Lidstrom, Coronado Elementary School, Salina USD 305
Anglie Linden, Lyons Middle School, Lyons USD 405
Jessyka Mikkelson, Southeast of Saline Elementary School, Southeast of Saline USD 306
Rylie Sanders, Buhler High School, Buhler USD 313
Sarah Schlottman, Abilene High School, Abilene USD 435
Kiley Seidl, Haven Grade School, Haven USD 312
Brayden Smith, Hays High School, Hays USD 489
Region 2
Denise Acosta, Spring Valley Elementary School, Geary County USD 475
Jasmine Colle, Hillsboro Middle/High School, Durham-Hillsboro-Lehigh USD 410
Jason Dester, Topeka West High School, Topeka USD 501
Brennen Feeback, Fort Scott High School, Fort Scott USD 234
Makayla Gray, Burlington Elementary School, Burlington USD 244
Michael Lager, Junction City High School, Geary County USD 475
Alyssa Larson, Gray Hawk Elementary School, Basehor-Linwood USD 458
Trenton Lowry, North Lawn Elementary School, Neodesha USD 461
Region 3
Sarah Alas, Delaware Ridge Elementary School, Bonner Springs USD 204
Ryleigh Diskin, Ray Marsh Elementary School, Shawnee Mission USD 512
Marie Jones, Scarborough Elementary School, Olathe USD 233
Brock LaPlante, Spring Hill High School, Spring Hill USD 230
Tara Mulcahy, Broadmoor Elementary School, Louisburg USD 416
Steve Murray, Olathe West High School, Olathe USD 233
Allaire Pigg, Turner High School, Turner USD 202
Eric Reece, Central Heights Middle School, Central Heights USD 288
Region 4
Viridiana Arias, Maize South High School, Maize USD 266
Lexie Bullinger, Robert M. Martin Elementary School, Andover USD 385
Joshua Isaacs, West Elementary School, Valley Center USD 262
Tyler Kohlman, Amelia Earhart Elementary School, Goddard USD 265
Matt Miller, Truesdell Middle School, Wichita USD 259
Anna Patton, Augusta Middle School, Augusta USD 402
Hannah Reynolds, Eisenhower High School, Goddard USD 265
Kelsy Sproul, Sedan Elementary School, Chautauqua USD 286
###
The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. (more information...)
To accommodate people with disabilities, on request, auxiliary aides and services will be provided and reasonable modifications to policies and programs will be made. To request accommodations or for more information please contact the Office of General Counsel at gc@ksde.gov or by 785-296-3201.